Anyone know which 1970s homebrew CW Keyboard this might be?

I spotted this on a swap meet table this morning. It was actually FREE! So needless
to say, I jumped on it as there were no other takers for it. I ALWAYS wanted to build
one of these back in the 1970s but WAY over my skills at the time - or budget for that matter.

Been searching the QST archives but not yet found the one I think it is - there were
several over the years for a project like this.

VERY well built for the most part - but I don't think I can do much to restore it. Many
of the key springs are long ago shot - the keys are "down" all the time, and don't spring
back up. After looking at the innards, the keyboard was some surplus piece, and sonic-welded
plastic throughout so no way to get inside of the keys to fix them in any way.

It's a shame - but I thought it would be fun to read the original article, as I'm quite certain
this is built from a magazine project just "has that look".

Anyway, does anyone by any chance recognize it?

Dave
W7UUU

 

Dave, I did zero research on this but that looks like the WB4VVF keyboard keyer design from the 1970s.

Look that up.

 

Similar (aren't they all!) but I don't think so. As far as I can tell, the VVF version brought
the weight knob to the panel and didn't have a memory function - at least from Googling it.

It's on the bench now - haven't fired it up because I'm lacking the type power cord it needs
and the pin spacing/location is TIGHT - don't want to Gerry Rig it just yet - plus, even if it
"works" it can't function - 14 keys are "down" and cannot be fixed as far as I can tell so far

My primary concern are the keys - and I don't see a way to fix them AT ALL, short of a new
keyboard. Construction is very decent - I don't believe it was left not working - but unless I can
find a fix for the keys, it's a shelf display piece now.

Dave
W7UUU

 

Holy cow! It WORKS!! I just soldered on to the pins for the power and threw caution to
the wind - no sidetone, but there is an LED and I can see it creating letters just fine. Going
to dig in and see why the sidetone is dead. But very interesting that all the "down keys"
actually do work, despite having no springiness to them....

FUN!!

Dave
W7UUU

 

UPDATE: Fixed the sidetone.... will shoot a video and post a link. SO cool! This will be paired with the HW-16 very soon!!

Dave
W7UUU

 

Oh what a fun toy.
I wonder if there is any identification on the PCB as to who designed it.

 

Nothing I can see. I could swear this was on the cover of a QST around 1975 but
I just can't find it. I'm just delighted it works!!!! Will soon be paired with the
HW-16 (in parallel with the HD-10 of course) and become a permanent addition
to the shack.

I just shot video of it working once I got the sidetone working.... will post shortly....

Dave
W7UUU

 

Good luck finding the issue with the sidetone.

 

You know Dave, this one rings a bell. I'm just not sure which bell it rang.
Seem to remember something like this is Ham Radio magazine but don't know where or what issue.
The ARRL has HR in archives so maybe that'll help.

Have fun
73
Gary

 

I know - it's familiar, right? The clue is the 1/2 switch and the 256/512 switch.

I DID GET THE MEMORY WORKING!! I just went in to all the switches in that section and
resoldered all the switch wires and used Deoxit on the switches - BAM!

Gonna shoot a video of the memory working shortly....

WHAT A GREAT FIND!!! Probably one of the best "free" deals ever for me - outside of
the 10m homebrew transceiver anyway - close second.

Dave
W7UUU